Nanozyme-Mediated Inflammatory Regulation Based on Redox and Non-Redox Strategies for Precision and Adaptive Intervention

Abstract

Inflammation is a host defense mechanism. If the host cannot prevent severe inflammation, patients would experience persistent damage and chronic inflammation that can cause many diseases. The regulation of the inflammatory process includes complex mechanisms such as oxidative stress control, intracellular and genetic signaling, antibacterial defense, tissue repair, and related processes. Nanozymes, defined as nanomaterials with intrinsic enzyme-mimetic catalytic activities, have been considered as versatile tools for inflammation control on account of their programmable catalytic process, structural and surface tunability. By integrating exogenous stimulus response, endogenous microenvironment sensing, biological carrier coupling and intelligent design strategies, nanozymes have been increasingly employed for precise, multiscale, and multistage intervention. Herein, nanozyme-mediated inflammatory regulation is organized according to the predominant mode of intervention into reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based and primarily non-ROS-based strategies, including redox homeostasis restoration, antimicrobial defense, healing, gasotransmitter signaling, and probiotic-assisted processes. From a multimechanistic perspective, interaction logic and integration principles under different regulation modalities are revealed, and some suggestions for the rational development of next generation nanozyme systems are also discussed to contribute to smart and personalized inflammation therapy.